The South western news., 1887-05-11

me and this would have been burn,
ed undelivered, / wish no unwill.
ing allegiance. You owe me moth.
ing. have as ou said yesterday,
a mistress for Shockoe, and you
have a satisfied ambition"
The months rolled geographically
the wonder of Peream spstIt itself
in vain imagining and the strange
absence Of Mr. Stuart ceased
to be tie constant TOPIC,
After the first few months It was
rarely mentioned to his wife, whose
life at Shockoe was ceaseless
round OF gayety, which Peream
concluded rather questionable taste
in view other husbands prolonged
absence. She was usually gay and
apparently careless when the mat
ter was mentioned, but rather
avoided explanations. dubbed her
self the grass>widow, but generally
managed to mention items Of news
from her husbands letters when
friends whose Judgment she might
value called.
These letters came regularly.
Never personally, never remotely
limiting at his innersell. but filed.
with charming accounts of western
scenes and life, odd characters and
incidents OF the mining world, and
Isabel gradually realized that her
husband, whom she had seemed
scarcely to know, was unusually
clever, endowed with a brilliant i'm.
aginatiUn and very cuastic wit.
He made no reference To their
odd relations to one another beyond
that implied in exacting his week.
ly letter; nor did he remotely bint
at his ever returning to Peream.
Isabel had spent the winter amid
the gayeties ofSt. Louis and Wash.
ington and returned home to find
Robert Stanope in Peream.
u left charming violet when I
vent away, he said gallantly, lean
ing over the doorway Of Mrs.
Stuart's handsome carriage--and
Offering its occupant the hand from
which he had just drawn a dainty
glove "a charming violet, but the
fairies have transformed tito a mag.
nifcent lily. Let me claim an old
friends privilege. Mrs. Stuart, and
say that you are handsorner than
ever
The weeks flew by. Robert
Stanope was a daily visitor at
Shockoe. He rode with its mis-
trees or her guests, rowed them on
the river, divised means of enter
ing for her, was ever ready with at.
tentions, and sometimes vaguely
limited at the hard fate which had
debsrred him from competing for
the prize that alone could have
made life worth living, which Isa-
bel was accustomed to receive with
a Jest or comment on his tlaxy life
and habits, and wonder why she
had 20 completely, even before his
return, out grown what, she now
denominated her "penchaut for
RobertStanope.'
The new years bali was at its
height, and very beautiful Isabel
Stuart looked in her long satin
gown her only ornament medal
lion, In diamonds, which we're the
old Stuart heirlooms. She was
resting in a corner of the conserva-
tory, watching the distant dancing,
and her companion was abs9rbed
with her beauty. At length he
said.
Isabel, lam going away to.mor.
row; do you know what it feels
like to say goodbye too all that
Is dearest to one?
i think that, like the poor, you
have always With yOu,' Isabel re-
piled, careleesly turning her head
aside
Don't jest eternally, Isabel,
Robert Stanope cried, inpatiently.
1 wish to speak earnestly, and
l want you to listen
You were jeSting then about go
ing7" she said. laughing, enjoying
his ill.humor.